Fentanyl pectin nasal spray: a novel intranasal delivery method for the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain.

Fentanyl pectin nasal spray is a novel intranasal formulation for the management of breakthrough cancer pain in patients taking and tolerant to opioids for persistent cancer pain. The pectin-based delivery modulates the product's transmucosal absorption. Nasal delivery allows fentanyl pectin nasal spray to achieve a greater maximum plasma concentration than oral transmucosal fentanyl products and at a much faster rate. Compared with intranasal fentanyl compounded with aqueous solutions, the pectin-based system decreases the maximum plasma concentration and prolongs exposure to more closely match the time course of a typical breakthrough cancer pain episode. Throughout all phases of clinical studies, it was shown to be safe and effective in doses between 100 and 800 µg per breakthrough pain episode. Fentanyl pectin nasal spray is the only proprietary intranasal fentanyl formulation in the USA and one of two in Europe. Owing to the medication's delivery system, the pharmacokinetics and subsequent dosing are unique to this product and should not be interchanged with any other proprietary or compounded fentanyl product.